Gregg County, Texas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Longview, Kilgore and White Oak
No data center or power plant project is on record in Gregg County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Gregg County is home to most of Longview (80,798 of its 83,236 residents), most of Kilgore (10,155 of its 13,531 residents), White Oak and most of Gladewater (3,790 of its 6,306 residents). Construction employs 6,454, down 10.6% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Harrison County has 450 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. 76 MW has retired here since 2019, including Knox Lee (natural gas, 76 MW, 2020).
Cities and towns in Gregg County
Gregg County is home to most of Longview (80,798 of its 83,236 residents), most of Kilgore (10,155 of its 13,531 residents), White Oak and most of Gladewater (3,790 of its 6,306 residents).
- Longview also extends into Harrison County.
- Kilgore also extends into Rusk County.
- Gladewater also extends into Upshur County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lake Cherokee, Liberty City.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Gregg County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 124,315 | 126,095 | ▲ 1.4% | 38th of 254 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 76,285 | 75,602 | ▼ 0.9% | 174th of 254 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,485 | $61,094 | ▲ 26.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,219 | 6,454 | ▼ 10.6% | 140th of 155 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 5.1% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 76 MW | — |
Its power plants have 351 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Southwestern Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Gregg County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.03¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.81¢ median for Texas utilities. Employers here counted 75,602 jobs in 2025, down 0.9% from 2019. 126,095 people live here, up 1.4% since 2020.
Who powers Gregg County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −76 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Gregg County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Electric Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 156,271 | 12.03¢ | 30% |
| Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 44,415 | 12.40¢ | 18% |
| Rusk County Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,152 | 12.90¢ | 20% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 351 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox Lee | Southwestern Electric Power Co | Natural gas | 351 MW | 1974 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox Lee | Natural gas | 76 MW | 2020 |
The Gregg County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 75,602 | $61,094 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 6,454 | $67,055 | 1.61 |
| Power and communication line construction | 122 | $77,542 | 1.00 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Gregg County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Gregg County. Texas has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Gregg County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Gregg County, Rusk County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gregg County | 126,095 | ▼ 0.9% | 351 MW | — | — | — |
| Harrison County | 71,956 | ▼ 8.3% | 1,043 MW | 450 MW | — | — |
| Rusk County | 54,854 | ▼ 2.2% | 3,519 MW | — | — | — |
| Smith County | 252,549 | ▲ 10.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Upshur County | 44,410 | ▲ 7.8% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Texas
Gregg County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Gregg County, Texas?
3 utilities have service territory in Gregg County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwestern Electric Power Co, Upshur Rural Elec Coop Corp, Rusk County Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Southwestern Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 12.03¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Longview, TX in?
Most of Longview is in Gregg County: 80,798 of its 83,236 residents, or 97%. The rest of the city lies in Harrison County.
What county is Kilgore, TX in?
Most of Kilgore is in Gregg County: 10,155 of its 13,531 residents, or 75%. The rest of the city lies in Rusk County.
What power plants are in Gregg County?
1 operating plant with 351 MW of capacity. The largest is Knox Lee (351 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Gregg County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Gregg County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Harrison County.
Is Gregg County adding jobs?
Employers counted 75,602 jobs in 2025 against 76,285 in 2019 (-0.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 7,219 to 6,454.
Does Gregg County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Gregg County. Texas has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.